I would like to thank the anonymous o.o chan for reviewing and to those who put this story on Story Alert. This chapter is dedicated to you solely. You really brightened my day.
Her Favorite Boy
By Y. M. H.O s
Chapter 6: To Hear You Laugh
It's been two days since he stopped talking to me. Two long days without any form of communication from him. Now that I think about it, and as much as I don't want to admit it, my days aren't complete without bickering or even kicking him.
I couldn't look him in the eye. The sharp truth that I couldn't look him in the eye hit me as strong as being hit by a baseball bat. A few days ago, it was just a normal occurrence if I kick him in his butt or punch him in the arm or face and we would just laugh it off like it was nothing. He wasn't the only problem, another friend too. I don't know, but these days, I felt like the world's closing in on me. Two problems.
Hotaru's acting weirder than usual, not that I really mind though. At times when I talk to her, she'll just nod and become unfocused again as if unwilling or uninterested to listen to what I'm talking about, which is all about our biology project. Suddenly when I just gave up on getting her attention, she turned her huge, round, amethyst eyes at me and stared. I could almost feel the hairs on the back of my neck tingle but I raised my eyebrows in anticipation.
"Tell me about your dad." She said and I shook my head in rejection. I thought she was going to ask about Natsume or Ruka, and it's really obvious that she's infatuated with my so-called bestfriend. I won't go into details, you know the feeling when someone you know have a crush on someone else. It's weird.
"Nothing to say about him." I replied but she still held my gaze, demanding for an answer.
"Do you hate him?" she asked. I was quite expecting her to ask me that sooner or later. The fact that I really dragged her to my mess and actually thought of climbing a mountain would've been reckless with her barely knowing me. I turned my back to her.
"Not really. He's the only one I've got left."
I didn't really expect her to reply to that and what came as her answer caught me off-guard.
"You really love your dad huh?" I glanced back at her and nodded, not knowing what to say. But then the memories flashed back and I was instantly back to my childhood.
"Mama? Wake up Mama!" I called and pounded on the somewhat glass case that was encasing her. She wasn't opening her eyes like what I know she will. Her fingers were interlocked and she looked especially stiff.
"Mama!" I yelled and pounded harder that I could almost imagine the cracks appearing on the glass case. She wasn't waking up. Suddenly strong arms pulled me backwards and I was dragged outside. I squirmed and kicked but the person that held me captive was so much stronger than me.
We stopped by a corner and he kneeled to my level and gripped my shoulders so tightly it hurt. I squirmed out of his grip but he held me back and slapped my face.
"Get a hold of yourself." Father's voice was so cold and his gray eyes so intense that it froze me in my tracks.
"Your mama is dead. Your mama is dead. Your mama is dead. Yuka's… gone." He repeated. I covered my ears but he snatched it back and placed it on my sides.
"Yuka's gone forever, kid! Gone!" he yelled at me. It was the first time he called me 'kid'. It was always 'Mikan' or 'princess' but I was just a 'kid' to the man now bawling his eyes out. I want to cry, but the strongest man I ever knew was slowly falling apart, his sobs silent. I walked towards him and placed my arms around his shoulders but he pushed me away and stared at me for a long time, his eyes full of grief, hopelessness and… guilt? And without a word, he walked away, leaving me kneeling in the corner.
"You aren't so lucky then?" Hotaru said, her face devoid of all emotions that it made me wonder if something was really wrong with her. Then I remembered the day when I first met her, how she looked helpless, being hit by her father.
"You too huh." I replied with a smile.
"At least I don't get hit by my father." I told her coyly and she turned to me with raised eyebrows, a hint of a smirk on her lips.
"It's better than getting the silent treatment as if I don't exist. And I know that I do, hate him. It's just that I have no place to go that I am forced to stay with him." She said a matter-of-factly. I laughed at what she said and she chuckled. Then the bell rang and the door burst open and I and Hotaru turned our heads, expecting Narumi but the door revealed a raven-haired lad.
I glanced at Hotaru and there was a hint of a blush on her cheeks that she tried to hide but it was in vain. I nudged her elbow and she quickly covered her face with her hands.
"It isn't that obvious isn't it?" she asked through the gaps in her fingers. I rolled my eyes but there was a sharp pang in my chest when I saw her blush.
"Yeah, and I'm Superman." I replied. She slapped my arm and I recoiled, grinning at her embarrassed state.
"Hide me! she exclaimed.
"You do know that that boy and I are ignoring each other right?"
"No. And I'm Elektra." She replied sarcastically.
"Hide on your own then, Elektra." And a book unexpectedly smacked my face.
N Hyuuga.
Two days of hardship. It was hard enough trying to avoid her, much more trying to get a glimpse of her. It was either she would catch me, or Ruka would. That bloody Dylan was also a nuisance too, but at least Mikan that girl learned to avoid him too. But I can clearly see how he strives for her attention, purposely passing by in front of her, and sometimes letting his arm brush hers when he walks by. Thinking of those only makes my blood boil, how I love to wrench his throat out.
But then, I wasn't there to protect guide her to the right direction. Heck, I didn't even know why I kissed that girl. Blame that unknown force in my chest.
Just then the bloody bell rang and I was forced to run to the classroom. I once didn't mind being late of course. But an incident proved that sometimes a teacher can be too harsh on students.
I walked steadily in the corridor, lazily carrying my backpack and purposely slowing my pace. I was late for almost an hour, which I didn't exactly mind as it was Narumi's homeroom class anyway. I opened the door and carefully tiptoed to get to my seat when-
"Natsume dear?" a voice dripping with false sweetness called and I slowly turned around to meet Narumi's face inches from mine. The hair on the back of my neck tingled and I moved back from him.
"Natsume dear, why are you late again?" he asked and pushed me back that I fell on my seat. Narumi sat down at my desk and drew circles at my chest. I was petrified and grossed out and I pushed him and he fell to the floor.
"Natsume-kun! How dare you do that?" He exclaimed and glared at me. His eyes travelled and I repressed a shudder. Nothing more I hate than a loose pedophile. A gay pedophile at that.
"Your polo's not properly worn, dear. Let me fix it for you." Narumi carefully said and with one moment, my polo's open and the buttons were rolling on the floor. Petrified, horrified name it, I felt all those in that instant. And without thinking, my fist made its way onto his face and what I heard next was a sharp smack as he crashed to the chairs of other students.
I rushed, my footsteps echoing in the corridor, the door to our classroom neared and I wrenched it open, heads turned to look at me. I glanced at the front, hoping that Narumi hasn't arrived yet. But then my head automatically turned to look at someone and I was forced to look away when I felt her gaze on me.
The Big Idiot was grinning stupidly at Hotaru and for some reason she was covering her face. I made my way to my seat and nodded at Ruka who was reading a book with glasses up to his nose. I smirked. Ruka was the most idiotic thing next to Mikan, but he acted quite cool and calm that girls immediately knew him after he transferred here.
A loud 'smack' echoed in the classroom and I looked to see Mikan laughing while nursing her reddening cheek. Hotaru had a book in her hand and quite surprisingly, her face was the color of red.
"You idiot!" Hotaru exclaimed and proceeded to hit her again but this time she evaded the hard-bound book. The idiot ran away from her and jogged towards the far end of the room. Hotaru stood up and in her hands were two, thick hard-bound books that looked like dictionaries.
"Come back here." Hotaru whispered icily and ran towards the idiot, the latter seemed to realize the peril that she was in and hid at the back of Inchou's chair to avoid being hit. Ruka chuckled in amusement and raised his glasses up his nose to avoid crashing to the floor. The two were like cat and mouse, Mikan enjoying her friend's embarrassment while Hotaru was getting pissed off by the minute..
"Hey! Your prince charming might get turned off!" Mikan yelled and we watched as Hotaru's face reddened more that she looked strangely like a tomato with short black hair. She glanced at me with a red face and I raised my eyebrows.
"Huh?"
Ruka laughed out loud and smacked me with the book he was reading.
"You're so dense Natsume."
"Mikan, when I reach you, you're dead!" Hotaru yelled and came another chase that involved rather a large number of stumbles and trips. Mikan ran towards I and Ruka with a wild look on her face. Faster than lightning, Ruka was out of my side and Mikan hid behind my chair. Hotaru was right behind her when-
"Hotaru stop!" Mikan yelled but-
DUMPH
My head felt heavy and there was a series of gasps as I massaged my head. I opened my eyes and saw Hotaru standing before me holding a book with both hands.
"Huh?" I managed. I think her face went redder but a look of frustration dawned upon it.
"Idiot." She whispered and hit me again. I almost cursed out loud. What the hell have I done to her?
She stormed out of the room.
.
.
Mikan didn't budge in her seat. She didn't want to move a finger as everyone filed out of the room. She stared ahead of her, calculating the chances of meeting Hotaru on her way to the cafeteria. She saw the girl run out of the room almost in tears and that was really because of her. Options… Mikan raked her mind. Options…
-If Hotaru really cried, she won't want anyone to see her, hence she won't be at the crowded cafeteria hence she won't encounter Mikan as the latter planned to eat there.
-Hotaru has a huge ego. If by any chance she knew someone saw her cry, she won't want to be seen as someone weak and ashamed. Hence, she might eat at the cafeteria with her chin lifted high, hence she would meet Mikan there.
-Mikan could just bribe one of her classmates to buy her food at the cafeteria or some other place. But Hotaru 'the investigative Hotaru' should we say has her ways and maybe out of anger at Mikan, might place something at her food and boom, there's Mikan no more.
-She could just ask for food from others but they all are out of the classroom now except from *cough* *cough* Natsume, Dylan and Ruka who seemed to be minding their own businesses. She couldn't and wouldn't ask food from that jerk Dylan, he might only misinterpret it. Natsume? No. He's avoiding her, why give her food? Ruka? Too shameful.
Her stomach groaned the same time that she did and three heads turned to look at her with amused expressions. It only left her with one option..
-Don't eat at all.
She touched her stomach fearfully and quite unexpectedly, two hands shot up and took her arms. She looked up.
"I'll take you." Dylan glared at Natsume who glared back but said nothing. Natsume held her left arm and Dylan her right. Natsume pulled hard and she was forced out of her chair.
"Let go of her." But Natsume was immovable and pulled her as hard as Mikan did.
"I said-"
But strong, gentle arms wounded their way into her hips and the three turned and Mikan blushed hard.
"Let's go." Ruka calmly told her. The other boys seemed to be petrified that they allowed her out of their grasps.
Out in the corridor, Ruka released her and smiled.
"Let's eat." Mikan could swear that Let's means let us. It couldn't be Let is or let was right? She slapped herself mentally for being an idiot. Let us. Us. Us. Us. Both. Together. Me and you. All those thoughts played in her mind.
"I haven't paid you for the debt I owe." She tilted her head and looked at him confusedly.
"Debt?"
"When I punched you in the face when I thought that you were a guy. Remember about Hotaru?" All those Me and you shattered. And suddenly it was about Hotaru again.
"Oh." Was her only reply. Ruka had an amused glint on his sparkling cerulean eyes.
"Why, is there something else?" he asked coyly and Mikan turned her head to hide her blush.
No one knew what was going on in Hotaru's mind. Even Koko 'the revealer' who encountered her earlier was confused with her mind. So many thoughts raging at once that he didn't even know how to connect them. But one thing was for sure, Hotaru was deeply infatuated with Natsume.
Koko grinned to himself when he read the other's minds these past days. It was drama that he was waiting to unfold, and it has. Only Koko doesn't know how drastic the situation will be if all of them knew. The incident about Natsume and Mikan kissing? Check. How Dylan was observing and trying to get the attention of Mikan? Check. How Ruka was in love with Mikan? Check. How Mikan likes Ruka and has mixed feelings with Natsume? Check. How Natsume once liked Nobara? Check. How Hotaru saw Mikan and Natsume kissing? Check.
Of course, he almost knew everything, being the only boy with the bizarre ability in school.
He looked around and found Hotaru seated in a lone table, eating alone and glaring other students who get slightly near. Mikan's correct about one of her ideas after all. He studied her from the corner of his eye, avoiding getting too obvious at what he was doing.
The images and memories flashed through his mind and he understood how Hotaru got her attitude. Her father was a tyrant and a drunkard. Another memory flashed, it was recent and it showed Hotaru inside a huge mansion, looking at a refrigerator filled with expensive delicacies. Then she hid in the kitchen and saw a middle-aged man, handsome and elegant with a hard look on his face. Then the memory skipped and she was with Mikan in her car, with Mikan flailing her arms into the air singing 'I'm With You' by Avril Lavigne. He snorted at the girls' childish attitudes.
The man was Mikan's father, and he compared it with Mikan's memory on her mother's funeral earlier that day. Yep, they were the same. But now her father looked meaner and worn out.
Suddenly, the noisy cafeteria was silenced and he turned his head at Hotaru who was standing up and glaring at someone. Then he saw it was Mikan she was glaring at. Mikan looked horrified and nervous at the same time, but she wasn't alone because she was with Ruka.
Ruka calmly took Mikan's arm and stirred her to Hotaru's table. It was so silent that their footsteps could be clearly heard. They reached her table and Ruka pushed her to sit in front of the glaring girl. Mikan was the first one to talk and Koko glanced at her direction, amused.
"Are you mad at me?" Koko almost laughed out loud. Mikan was a total idiot sometimes. Of course Hotaru was-
"No." His eyes widened at the Hotaru. Amazing, changing her mind so fast he didn't even catch it.
"Really?" Mikan's eyes were wide too and her short boy cut hair swayed as the wind from the fan blew it.
"Just… Irritated." She answered and sighed. Koko could almost feel Mikan's relief and he sighed to let it all out.
"-but you owe me." Hotaru continued. The other girl raised her eyebrow. Hotaru glared at every direction and out of fear, the students and teachers went back to what they were doing. Koko read Hotaru's mind and raised his eyebrows too. Do you really have to do that?
"Talk to Natsume and tell him that I'm sorry." She whispered in her ear.
"What? No, no, no..." Mikan exclaimed and stood up the same time a certain raven haired lad was passing behind her. She bumped into him and his coke spilled.
"What the hell?" Natsume cursed and Hotaru immediately vanished. Mikan turned her back and faced Natsume with almost an apologizing expression.
"Ah, sorry." Natsume looked incredulous and raised his empty glass of coke.
"Replace this." He answered and Mikan forgot all about the incident before.
"I said I'm sorry!"
"You're sorry then give me another glass of coke."
"Ungrateful bastard."
"Childish little girl."
"Want me to punch you again?" she threatened.
"Want me to kiss you again?"
It was out of his mouth before he knew it. Silence ensued throughout the whole cafeteria and everyone stopped with their mouths agape.
But Koko sat there, petrified and the most shocked. He replayed Natsume's recent memory in his brain.
"Mom?" he called but his mother wasn't answering him. He have looked inside the house and she wasn't there.
"Hey." He repeated and proceeded to go outside. he walked across their backyard and stopped in his tracks. His mother was kissing someone.
"Yuki stop it." His mom giggled and the man just laughed and kissed her more. Natsume smiled to himself and discreetly went back to the direction he went before. His mother was happy, and that is the only thing important to him.
He snapped back to reality but it was still silent. He stared at Mikan.
"Father." She ran and tried to hug him but he held up his hand and stared coldly at her.
"Let's make it clear. You don't meddle with my business and I'll not meddle with yours."
Koko's eyes were wide as he processed the two memories. There was silence and his mind went blank with shock.
Because the man who was kissing Natsume's mother was….
His vision went blank.
HoHoHo. The plot's right there, you just have to analyze it. Koko's too close…
Until update again!
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